ONE OF THE FIRST RULES OF ANY ARTIST IS THIS: DEVELOP YOUR OWN UNIQUE VOICE. NEVER HAS THAT BEEN TRUER THAN FOR LEGENDARY VOCALIST JON ANDERSON. ONE NOTE, AND YOU KNOW WHO IT IS. ISN’T THAT EVERYONE’S GOAL?
NOT ONLY MAKING HIS NAME WITH THE ICONIC JAZZ-ROCK GROUP YES, ANDERSON HAS ALSO DO SOME INCREDIBLE WORK SUCH AS HIS RECENT COLLABORATION WITH VIOLINIST JEAN-LUC PONTY. THEY’VE BEEN TOURING TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND THEY MIX TUNES FROM BOTH YES AND PONTY’S OWN IMPRESSIVE CATALOGUE.
THEY’RE COMING TO LA AND ANAHEIM THE END OF APRIL AND BEGINNING OF MAY, SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO CATCH UP WITH HIM, BOTH IN AND AROUND THE LAKE.
YOU’VE BEEN TOURING WITH JEAN-PONTY AND HAD A GREAT SHOW IN LA NOT TOO LONG AGO
We enjoyed that show. Working with those guys was a trip.We’re going back out there at the Saban and Canyon Club the end of April.
HOW DID YOU FIRST MEET PONTY?
It was way back in the late 70s. We did three concerts in Texas with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Jean-Luc was playing the violin with them. We got along very well; we talked quite a lot.
About 10 years later we bumped into each other again in LA and talked about when we find the time we’ll write some music, and things like that, as you do with musicians.
More years went by, and just two years ago, while working with a friend of mine up in Oregon (we work with people now through the internet and MP3s)and while we were working on a song he said that he knew Jean-Luc Ponty’s manager, and he was going to get Jean-Luc to play on it also. Which he did, and I just loved the way that he played on it, so I got in touch with Jean-Luc in Paris.
I actually sent him a couple of tracks from one of his albums from the 70s and I sang on the tracks. I just downloaded them and sang some ideas over them and sent them to him and said “This is what we could do together.” That’s how we started.
DID YES TOUR AROUND WITH MAHAVISHNU?
No, we just did those three shows. But, Yes was a very important part of my life when we were playing up in New York University and the Kinks were the headliners. We were next on the bill, but this new band called The Mahavishnu Orchestra did their first show that night. They just completely blew our minds. It was just an amazing experience to hear that band perform.
THAT’S WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING ABOUT THAT TIME PERIOD. THE SAME TYPE OF MUSIC WAS BEING APPROACHED FROM BOTH THE ROCK SIDE AND JAZZ SIDE OF THE AISLE.
Very true; we learned from each other. I especially loved Weather Report. They and Mahavishnu were the kind of records that you took on tour to listen to. In those days we took cassettes.
YOU HAD JAZZ , ROCK AND CLASICAL INTERMINGLING WITH NEW IDEAS LEFT AND RIGHT BACK IN THE 1970S. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THAT TIME PERIOD THAT MADE THE MUSIC SCENE SO FERTILE AND EXCITING?
Back then there were no real guidelines as to what music should be. The Beatles, the Stones and the Beach Boys invented rock and roll by the 60s, so by the 70s we were asking “what do we do now”? Well, we could do whatever we wanted.
When Yes started, that very month Led Zeppelin started a band. Deep Purple started a band, and then a year later Phil Collins started his band with Genesis. It was an incredible world of being able to make anything happen with any kind of music. There were no restrictions.
In those days record companies were selling albums more than “singles”. In the early 60s it was all the pop singles, and then the Beatles came and changed the whole format from singles to albums. By the time 67-68 came people were buying albums, and singles were just part of the promotion.
People wanted albums because you had those gate folds and could look at the incredible art work. Sgt Pepper and Are You Experienced? by Hendrix and the music by Zappa and the Beach Boys were all on albums. By the time the 70s started it was just albums; you didn’t think about making singles.
Over the years business changes. We survived disco and punk and was able to still remain popular with a couple of hit songs like “Owner of the Lonely Heart.”
Although I am still interested in creating long form music. Over the past few years I’m doing the same thing. I’ve been finishing an album working with a Swedish composer and guitarist that’s coming out soon. It’s all long for work.
I think that at a certain point of time when pop music develops a road that becomes so narrow, then just a handful of people get hit records. That’s when you get the likes of Beyonce’ and all of these great singers and songwriters, but it’s a very small road.
Everyone is waiting for Adele; eveyone’s waiting for the last hit record person, whoever it is. No one is interested in the broad scape of music or albums.
But, we’re going through this event now where people are beginning to look back at vinyl, and making music part of their experience actually enjoying it. So, I think we’re moving back into that fertile ground like the 70s; here we are in 2016 and I’m hearing so much great music out there because you can get it through the internet. You don’t have to rely on your local radio deejay. You can just go out there and discover this great music that’s out there. And that’s my sermon!
I’LL PASS THE COLLECTION PLATE!
(laughs)
SO, WHEN YES WAS TOGETHER DURING THE ALBUMS FRAGILE AND CLOSE TO THE EDGE, ETC WAS EVERYONE CONSCIOUSLY TRYING TO CONSTANTLY CREATE SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT?
I knew exactly where we were going. They called me “Napoleon.” I told them that they were so lucky to do what we do; we’re so brilliant at what we do, so let’s stop screwing around and make some great music.
We created music that had never been tried before.; never been created before. And, it’s still very special music.
20 years later I was going on tour with Yes and an orchestra of young people out in Poland. We toured all over Europe playing parts of “Gates of Delirium,” “Topographic” and “Close to the Edge” and the audiences were just loving it. So, in 2002 there was still an audience out there willing to sit to something for 20 minutes.
Of course people can dance and go crazy to other kinds of music. That’s great. But there should be a time sit down, relax and listen to 15 minutes of straight music. With a beer!
WAS EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE IN YES, OR WAS SOMEONE PUSHING HARDER THAN OTHERS?
I was the demon; the crazy guy behind it. They all thought I was absolutely nuts.
But, I had this vision of creating long form works. Like, Gate of Delirium is one piece of music. Some of the recordings were pretty wild.
We sing “The Light” but there is this war of music within it. Eventually we did an album Going For The One with a beautiful piece of music called “Awaken.” I performed it with a group in Iceland just three years ago and the audience came down to join us. It was an unbelievable experience. The music of Yes is not dead. It still survives.
I’m now on tour with Jean-Luc Ponty, one of the greatest violinists I ever worked with. We are like brothers. He has the greatest musicians with him; we’re performing and having the greatest time. We’re doing “Owner Of The Lonely Heart” and it has an orchestral sound.
THE BAND REALLY SWINGS!
I told them “If we’re going to do “Long Distance Runaround” let’s do it with a kind of raga feel. It’s got an Indian feel, and people love the song this way.
YOU’VE DONE A FEW REUNION TOURS WITH YES. WHAT WAS THE MOTIVATION? MUSICALLY? FINANCIAL? PERSONAL?
You get together because you’re making your next step. Rick Wakeman, Trevor Rabin and I are working on a new project for this winter. I know that it’s going to be very exciting for us, because you’re not going to go on stage and try to be Yes. Of course we’ll do the songs people want to hear, but we’re going to do them so differently and so adventurous, that otherwise, what’s the point of doing it?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU AND WAKEMAN? YOU GET TOGETHER FOR AWHILE, SPLIT UP AND THEN REUNITE LIKE A FLY TO THE FIRE! YOU GUYS CAN’T SHAKE EACH OTHER!
We’re typical brothers. I get together with Rick whenever he wants. He’s always busy doing his “stand up comedian show” (laughs) and he’ll say “Jon Anderson is the only guy I know who tries to save this world while living on another one.”
He’s a brilliant man; a great person to work with and we have the best time together. We just toured the East Coast of America a couple of years ago, toured Europe the year before.
He just contacted me this last Christmas and said “Let’s get together; just you, me and Trevor.” So Trevor was just finishing up some movie scores; we sent music to each other and now we’re in the place of getting ready to do some recording.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CHRIS SQUIRE, NOW THAT HE’S DEPARTED
He was a great man in my life. I was able to connect with him before he passed away. I thanked him for all of the work that we did together. Without him I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. He said the same thing to me.
We connected various times through the internet. He was going through a very difficult situation and he wasn’t very well.
You reach out to your friends. When someone’s sick, you send them your love. Chris went to heaven and he had the best attitude about life.
WHEN YOU TWO FIRST STARTED TOGETHER, WHEN DID YOU TO REALIZE “HEY, THIS IS GOING TO WORK”?
We understood each other. The first thing we talked about was the Simon and Garfunkel Bridge over Troubled Water album. Then the Beatles and Zappa. Stravinsky. Within an hour we knew that we knew each other.
We went back to his apartment and wrote a couple of songs. That was it. We got to work together and we had a dream. That’s what we created.
No matter what we went through, Chris was always there musically. He was always there vocally, singing along with me. He was always a great showman, and has been one of the greatest bass players…for…ever!
WERE YOU SURPRISED ON HIS SOLO ALBUMS HOW MUCH HIS VOICE SOUNDED LIKE YOURS?
Yeah a little bit! (laughs) We had been touring at that time, then recording and touring and recording for nearly six years without a break. He said “I’m going to do a solo album.” Then Steve said it, and Rick said it, so I decided I better do one also!
BESIDES YES, YOU ALSO DID A ONE-OFF WITH KING CRIMSON. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
Yes had just started up. We had been rehearsing and doing some gigs for about 6 months. We thought we were good. We were starting to feel that we had something different.
Chris (Squire) and I went down to the Speakeasy Club to see this band called King Crimson. They played the whole first album. I turned to Chris and said, “We’ve got to start rehearsing more!” They freaked me out.
I spoke to Bob Fripp to say “hi” and how I loved what he just did. He told me “I came by a couple of weeks to see you, Jon. Would you like to sing on my next album with the band?” So I went over to the studio with the band, sang it like they wanted and had a drink with them afterward. That was it.
YOU’VE ALSO DONE AN INTERESTING COLLABORATION WITH BELA FLECK.
I was living in Shell Beach for about two years. I got a call from an agent that told me Bela Fleck wanted me to sing on his album. We recorded in a studio in San Luis Obispo. I just went in and he said “sing it like this” and I said “OK Bela. You’re the boss” and it came out great. I was a big fan of his. I wanted him to be on tour with Yes, but our management didn’t think it was worthwhile, which was too bad. I wanted him to come and jam with us on stage, but some people don’t want to go into that sort of world.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HIRE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE WHAT EVERY ARTIST STRIVES FOR, A UNIQUE SOUND. WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU CONSCIOUSLY STROVE FOR?
It was something that just happened. I started singing when I was a kid; my brother and I had a band in ’63, we went to see the Beatles play in Liverpool and that changed our lives. I wanted to be a Beatle and sing like Paul McCartney.
I always sang pretty high anyway, and when I had been in Yes I just developed as a singer and then as a songwriter, getting interested in composition and musical structure. That’s how I started doing albums by myself. I was just growing up as I went along.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER BANDS, COMPOSERS OR SINGERS THAT INFLUENCED YOU?
My favorite was Nina Simone. I was a serious fan of Nina Simone. I saw her sing 2-3 times in Germany. Her style of singing was just magical to me. The fact of who she was and how she was empowered to sing and write those songs was impressive.
Of course the Beatles in their songwriting. Also Jimmy Webb; I loved his songs. From then the next step was Randy Newman. One of his albums I got totally engrossed with. Then Rickie Lee Jones and Joni Mitchell. If it isn’t one person, it’s another. Also if you notice there are a lot of women.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, MOST ARTISTS YOUR AGE HAVE LOST MUCH OF THEIR VOICE, YET YOURS IS STILL STRONG? WHAT WAS THE SECRET? ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE AN ASTHMATIC!
I’m very fortunate> I have a wonderful wife. We’ve been together 25 years. My kids from my first marriage are growing up great. I have a great feeling about my life. I meditate, I work hard. I sing every day. I love singing.
WHAT DO YOU SING?
I actually write in the morning. Somebody from somewhere will send me a piece of music and I will sing on that. Right now I have about 20 pieces of music that I need to sing about on the next six months. I get up and do this type of vocalization where I’m singing chants. That’s part of the empowering of what I do.
It’s all part of a project that I’m working on. It’s a very large scale idea that I’ve been dreaming of for 10 years. All of these songs and all of this music is going to come out in one big “book” of musical information.
WHICH BRINGS UP ANOTHER PART OF YOUR LIFE. YOU’VE DONE PROJECTS ON TOLSTOY, ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY. YOU’VE DONE SIDDARTHA, WHICH IS BUDDHIST. YOU’VE DONE HINDUISM AND PACIFISM IN YOUR ALBUMS. DO THESE THEMES REFLECT A SPECIFIC SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, OR iS IT PART OF YOUR ECLECTICISM?
I’m still growing. The past few months I’ve been writing about biomimicry. I think if you like going through TED on the internet (Technology, Information, Design)you get all these people explaining their experiences in life and musical and biological levels. It’s an incredible university of information.
My new album is going to be called The Invention of Knowledge, so I use the music to help me explain myself musically.
DOES THIS CAUSE YOU TO HAVE SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH WAKEMAN, WHO’S A CHRISTIAN?
We understand each other so well. We’ve talked about how all of the laylines where all of the major churches and scientific places have all been built on laylines and how we are slowly still growing toward the gates.
IT’S REFLECTED DURING YOUR CONCERTS, AS YOU ARE STILL DELIVERING MESSAGES AS OPPOSED TO SIMPLY SINGING SONGS
I’m also singing them to myself. Our souls are eternal. Fear is crazy in this life. We need to realize that we’re all connected to each other all around the world. As soon as the world starts to understand the sharing, we can better connect, and that’s what I’m singing about.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN YOU SEE YES TOURING WITH A DIFFERENT VOCALIST?
Actually, when it initially happened I was kind of upset because they didn’t tell me. They could have mentioned it. People go through different kinds of experiences in bands, and I think at that time they just wanted to make money because a couple of them didn’t have much money.
I couldn’t tour because I was sick, so they thought “Well, we’ve got these dates; let’s do them with a singer.” They didn’t even tell me about it. That’s the silly thing. If they had said “We’re going on tour, but Jon’s not going so we’ve got a new singer…” but they didn’t tell anyone. It was a difficult thing to accept.
People would come to watch what they would think was Yes and I’m not there. I’m part of Yes; I started Yes with Chris. I always felt that it was cheating the audience and cheating themselves.
I just went along with the understanding that as soon as I get better I’ll get in touch with them and we’ll get together again. It didn’t happen that way.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?
I don’t even want to think about that. That I never stopped.
THE TOUR WITH JEAN-LUC PONTY IS GETTING RAVE REVIEWS. THE BAND SWINGS HARDER THAN THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, AND IS MORE SPONTANEOUS AND LOOSE ON THE YES PIECES THAT ARE STRICTLY ADHERED TO BY THE “ORIGINAL” BAND.
JON ANDERSON KEEPS THE MUSIC FRESH AS HE STAYS DEFIANTLY OPTIMISTIC, SINGING ABOUT A BETTER WORLD TO COME. IT’S REFRESHING TO HEAR AN ARTIST STAY HOPEFUL, WHICH IS WHAT THE MINSTRELS HAVE DONE SINCE SINGING BEGAN.